Lately, I’m forgoing the jeans and choosing my tie at the waist sweatpants. Those of you with chronic illnesses can you relate? Has your weight been effected by your illnesses, by your medications? Mine sure has, and it’s been getting to me.
I spent yesterday with my Gastroparesis, with the pain of it, the fright of it and the questions that arise with it… Is it just a one day flare? Does not being able to eat today mean I won’t be able to eat again? Ugh, that sounds dramatic, but it is the truth for many with this condition.
My Gastroparesis went into remission after I had gall bladder surgery last spring. I thought it was gone along with my gall bladder, but nope, it was just taking a break, a nice break though; a let me enjoy eating healthy fibrous foods break (I fell in love with raisins and Grape nuts).
To my surprise, GP returned a few months ago with pain that put me into such a state of physical shock that my husband called 911. In the ER is where I learned that good ole Gastroparesis was making a come back. That week symptoms were severe, but since then, my GP has been in a much milder state compared to pre-surgery when sometimes for weeks my diet consisted of Gatorade– orange Gatorade, green Gatorade, purple Gatorade…
Here’s where my present love for tie waist pants comes in. The only perk that accompanies GP is that if you need to lose weight, it drops off. This time, no perks for me. Since my GP’s return I’ve been putting on pounds. GP and weight gain? What’s up with that?
This is what’s up. My stomach has been working well enough for me to eat, but mostly simple carbs, easily digested carbs, the one’s you are supposed to avoid as much as possible is you want to be healthy and fit. My stomach can’t digest fruit, veggies, meat, beans etc.…but most of the time it can digest white breads, pancakes, pizza crust, pasta and a recent find- Maxi Java’s cinnamon rolls (The best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had, especially when I’m hungry and its my lunch and it doesn’t hurt my tummy).
Rational Equation for my recent weight gain:
- Lack of calorie burn due to exercise and exertion intolerance of ME/CFS (as well as Myasthenia Gravis) and consequently having to live a “couch potato” life style. +
- My current simple carbohydrate diet that my GP requires +
- Thyroid disease (the ubiquitous excuse, but mine is struggling right now…so I’m going to use it) +
- Fear that GP will worsen and “I won’t be able to eat again so I better eat now!”+
- I really like to eat +
- Maxi Java’s Cinnamon rolls +
- = FAT accumulation.
Here’s a Cyber-toast to those whose illnesses cause weight changes:
To GPers whose jeans are bagging, who are losing more weight than a body has to lose. Here’s to ME/CFSers who can’t burn many calories, due to not being able to exercise or be up and doing. Here’s to those with Autoimmune Diseases or Neurological Diseases that have to take medicine that add weight and cause water retention. Here’s to those with Interstitial Cystitis and Gastroparesis which often swell the abdomen. Here’s to those with endocrine disease that decrease or increase metabolism. Here’s to all that have to deal with weight issues due to chronic illness (and acute illnesses as well, such as cancer and its weight loss and chemo-therapy that can cause gain or loss).
Weight issues are challenging for anyone. We want to be at a healthy weight, a weight we’re comfortable at. We want to fit into our clothes. When weight struggles are perpetuated by conditions out of one’s control (or at least partially out of one’s control; ie. I can choose to forego the cinnamon rolls). The helplessness of not being able to do much about it compounds the stress.
Here’s to sweatpants—the one’s with the ties that you can loosen when weight’s rising and tighten when it’s dropping. I’m feeling thankful for mine today.
